Shades of Crimson
by Penni Lane
Summary: A copy-cat killer with a surprising motive is stalking women from Mulder's past... and present.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Mulder and Scully and Skinner (or his  
secretary). Although it would be nice to have such a creative   
mind... ANYWAY, Mulder and Scully and Skinner and anyone else  
whose name you recognize from The X-Files belongs to Chris  
Carter ((the closet shipper)) and his goonies at Ten-Thirteen.  
PLEASE, oh almighty surfer god, don't sue me. ((can you sense  
the sarcasm there?))  
  
Lieutenant Michael Talbot, 'Jack,' Mary Chapman, Annie Eddows,   
Catherine Nichols, and SAC Frank Miles belong to me. Mary,  
Annie, Cathy, and Frank were all named after people involved  
in the original, TRUE Jack the Ripper crime series. The   
original victims were: Polly Nichols (August 31, 1888),   
Annie Chapman (September 8, 1888), Elizabeth Stride (September  
30, 1888), Catherine Eddows (September 30, 1888), and  
Mary Kelly (November 9, 1888). The crimes remain unsolved  
today.  
  
  
Rating: PG-13 for graphic violence and suggested rape  
  
Category: X-File, Romance, Angst   
  
Summary: A copy-cat killer with a surprising motive is stalking women  
from Mulder's past.. and present.  
  
Thanks to: Terrence Sharkley for writing "Jack the Ripper,"  
and all my fans, and to plot girl! Hear her roar!  
  
Author's Note: At the beginning of this story, Mulder and Scully are  
already a couple.. just so you don't get confused :) There's a lot of  
angst in here for both of our agents, especially at the end-but you  
have to read the whole thing first. :)  
  
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!  
"Shades of Crimson"  
By: Penni  
@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@  
  
Dance Theatre of Baltimore  
Baltimore, Maryland  
August 31, 1999  
9:31 AM  
  
Mary Chapman entered the main studio of the theatre, looking   
for her friend and co-worker.  
"Cathy?" She called out, "You here?"  
In the gloom of the unlit room, she could see the shape on the  
floor. As her eyes adjusted from the previous sunligh, the horror of   
the scene drew shaply into focus. A mass of raw flesh, like some   
butcher's carcass, lay stretched out in front of the wall-length   
mirror.   
The fact that it had once been human could only be determined by   
the shape-the nose and ears had been cut off, and the face skinned.   
The head hung sideways, severed by a deep cut that started at the   
left ear and ended at the right ear.  
The remains of a leotard clung to the corpse. The stomach had   
been ripped open and both breasts had been severed from the body.   
The left arm, like the head, clung to the body by a slim shard of   
skin. The thighs down to the feet had been stripped of flesh,   
revealing gleaming white leg bones. Most of the internal organs   
had been removed and were strewn about the room, and one hand   
was burried within the mass that had once been a stomach. Blood   
was splurted across the nearby mirrors and walls, and covered   
what had once been Catherine Nichols. On the far wall, scrawled   
in the dark crimson red liquid, was the message  
"JACK IS BACK"  
  
Mary covered her mouth, backing out of the room. From what  
she remembered from her criminal history class, this was an exact   
copy of the famous serial murders of Jack the Ripper.  
  
(((Doo doo doo doo doo doo... roll opening credits)))  
  
FBI Headquarters  
Washington, DC  
August 31  
1:43 PM  
  
Fox Mulder set his phone down and turned to his partner.  
"Skinner wants to see us," he informed her.  
Dana Scully nodded and got up, following Mulder out of the   
room. Ever since they'd been reassigned to the VCU, he's been   
so... melancholy. They arrived at their AD's office shortly, and   
were shown in by his secretary.  
"Agents, please sit down. I have a new and rather..." he paused,  
seeking the right word, "disturbing.. case for you."  
He handed them a file.  
"Catherine Nichols, age thirty seven, was found-"  
"What's her name?" Mulder cut in.  
"Catherine Nichols."  
Mulder nodded, hoping this wasn't the Cathy Nichols he   
remembered.  
"As I was saying," Skinner continued, "Ms. Nichols was found   
brutally murdered in a second-floor dance studio in Baltimore. Her   
body was discovered this morning at around nine thirty by her friend   
and co-worker Mary Chapman."  
"Why is the Bureau being called in?" Scully asked her boss.  
"Because, frankly, the Baltimore field office and city police-  
even the state police-are stumped. They have no suspect, no   
descriptions, no murder weapon, and no obvious motives. Miss Nichols   
was well-liked and respected among the community."  
  
  
Crime Scene  
  
Mulder and Scully showed their badges to the SAC at the murder  
scene and were shown to where the body lay. In the background,  
policemen were questioning anyone who had been in the building in the  
last hour.  
"This is how she was found," Special-Agent-in-Charge Frank  
Miles told the newly-arrived agents.  
Mulder took note of the message and of the surprisingly large  
amount of blood.  
"Nobody was seen leaving here this morning?"  
"Not a soul. Even so, the first floor of this building is  
a department store, and on this floor, there's a Disney store, a   
music emporium, a dance accessory shop, a book store, and a small  
coffee lounge."  
"Did you question the owners?"  
"Being done. Nobody saw or heard a thing so far, save for the  
Sleeping Beauty waltz being played at a rather high volume this   
morning."  
"No fingerprints?"  
"We haven't found anything that would give us a suspect."  
"And there are no security cameras in the building?" Scully  
asked.  
"No, well, not on this floor. You have to understand, agents-  
this is, or was, a good neighborhood. People kept their doors unlocked  
at night."  
Mulder nodded.  
"But what's really getting us is the M.O."  
"What about it?"  
"I've never seen anything this grotesque before," Miles   
admitted.  
"He's copy-catted Jack the Ripper," Mulder told him, "a serial  
killer in 1888 London who fixated on prostitutes. The case remains  
unsolved today."  
"So he's done everything the same?"  
"All except one thing."  
"Which would be..."  
"I very highly doubt Cathy Nichols was a prostitute."  
"I can assure you that she wasn't, Agent Mulder."  
Mulder raised an eyebrow at this, but kept quiet.  
"Agent Miles!"  
Both Mulder and the SAC turned around at this sudden   
interruption.  
"Sorry to bother you, sir," a young police lieutenant said,   
"but here's all the information we found on the victim."  
He handed him a file and moved back outside.  
"Actually, can I have a look at that?" Mulder inquired.  
"Sure," Miles replied, handing him the folder.  
Mulder took it, murmured his thanks, and flipped open the   
file. He quickly read the first page:  
  
Name: Catherine Teresa Nichols  
Gender: Female  
D.O.B: September 23, 1960  
Parents: Mary Ellen Mullens  
David Lawrence Nichols  
  
His eyes fell off the page and his stomach lurched. This was  
*his* Cathy.  
"Mulder? You ok?"  
He looked up and was met by his partner's clear blue eyes.  
"You look a little pale."  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her.  
"You sure?"  
He nodded. "I'll be ok."  
"Well, if you say so."  
He gave her a weak smile. "So what did you find?"  
"Hm?"  
Mulder gestured towards the body.  
"Oh.. well, she died at about eight thirty this morning, most  
likely of strangulation. The coroner found marks around her neck,  
consistent with the pattern of a rope. They're running a tox screen on  
her blood as we speak..." she trailed off, noticing that Mulder looked  
a bit queasy. "Are you sure you're ok?"  
"I, um-" he paused, and his voice was quieter when he spoke  
again, "I knew her."  
"Oh," Scully said in a small voice, "I'm sorry.. how did you  
know her?"  
"It's ok.. we were in high school together.."  
His face showed hints of tears, betraying his assurance that  
everything was ok.  
Not caring that they were in public, Scully reached up and  
wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a reassuring hug. He returned  
it, locking his arms around her waist. And the tears came.  
'Jack' watched this scene from the shadows and smiled. He  
would go after her last-draw it out, torture the man who had taken  
from him the only women he had ever loved. He would pay, oh yes, he  
would pay. He smiled as he walked from the scene, thinking of his next  
victim... she trusted him. He would have fun with this next one.  
  
  
FBI Headquarters  
4:54 PM  
  
Mulder looked up from the book he held as his partner entered  
the room.  
"If he's following the chronological pattern of the Ripper,   
the next murder will be on September eighth."  
She gave him a grim smile. "I only wish we had a lead on a  
suspect."  
He nodded and a moment of silence fell upon the agents.  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah," Mulder replied, nodding slightly, "I just can't help  
but feel that the killing is connected to me."  
"It wasn't your fault..."  
"No, not that. I just... oh, I don't know... Cathy was my  
first serious girlfriend."  
"Do you want me to ask Skinner to reassign this case?"  
"No. I'm going to solve it. I want to catch the son of a bitch  
that did this. She may have had her flaws, and we out differences, but  
nobody deserves to be killed like that... she was a good person."  
"Will you be ok if I leave?"  
"Yes."  
"Ok, then.. I'm gonna head on home now. If you need anything,  
don't hesitate to call."  
He leered suggestively at her, "There is something I need."  
She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Not while we're on  
a case... I've told you that before, *Fox*."  
He winced at the use of his first name, "Tomorrow?"  
"Tomorrow."  
She gave him a little kiss on the cheek before leaving the   
room.  
  
  
BWI Airport  
Baltimore, MD  
September 8, 1999  
12:33 AM  
  
Phoebe Greene stepped out of the nearly empty airport and  
quickly hailed a cab. She shoved her luggage in the trunk and climbed  
into the back seat.  
"Holiday Inn on Main Street," she told the driver.  
"No problem," he replied, and dove off.  
She got safely to the hotel, and slept until there was a knock  
at her door at around one thirty a.m. She pushed herself off of the  
mattress and opened the door, welcoming her friend into the room.  
"Close the door behind you, dear," she told him, walking   
towards the table on the other side of the room.  
She heard the door shut. That was the last sound she heard   
before a rope tightened around her neck and everything went eternally  
black.  
  
  
Dana Scully's Apartment  
4:30 AM  
  
Scully woke up to the decidedly unpleasant, shrill ringing of  
her cell phone. She fumbled with the desk lamp, eventually turning it  
on, and picked up the offending device.  
"Mulder, this had better be good," she voiced drowsily yet  
angrily into the reciever.  
"Sorry to wake you up."  
"No.. no problem at all," she retorted sarcastically.  
"No, I really am sorry, but there's another body."  
That woke her up. "Where?"  
"The Comfort Inn on Main Street."  
"In Baltimore?"  
"Yes."  
"Do they have an ID on the victim?"  
"Yes."  
It was then that Scully noticed Mulder's voice was cracking  
a bit, and that he had obviously been crying a little recently.  
"Mulder?"  
"It was Phoebe."  
"Where are you?" She asked after a heavy moment of silence.  
"The hotel."  
"I'll be there as soon as I can," she promised, and hung up  
the phone.  
  
  
Comfort Inn  
5:13 AM  
  
The multitude of police cars told Scully she had found the   
right hotel. She parked her Ford Explorer in one of the few empty  
spaces and quickly found the room she was looking for. She showed her  
ID to the gaurd at the door and entered the room, walking over to  
where Mulder stood. She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"Mulder?"  
He turned around. "I know what he's doing."  
"What?"  
"He's killing anyone I've ever had a serious relationship  
with."  
"Mulder, this could be coincidental."  
Wordlessly, Mulder pointed at the wall. The words "Tracking  
a Fox" were scrawled in blood.  
"Mulder, let's go."  
"I have to stay-"  
"Mulder, we're leaving this hotel. NOW."  
He looked down at her. She gave him a pleading look.  
"Ok."  
  
  
Scully's Apartment  
8:39 AM  
  
Scully set the phone down.  
"I just called Skinner. He granted us the day off."  
"You don't have to stay," Mulder told her, "I'll be ok here by  
myself."  
"No, you won't."  
"I will."  
She sighed. "Maybe so, but you shouldn't be alone at a time   
like this.. besides, I love you, and I want to be sure you're ok."  
At this, Mulder smiled slightly.  
"Come here," he told her.  
"What?" She inquired, walking over to stand in front of him.  
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down  
onto his lap, giving her a little kiss on the cheek.  
"I think," he began, "you should ask for a temporary transfer-  
get as far away from Baltimore as you can."  
"Why?"  
"I think you're on this guy's list."  
She sighed. "I'm not going anywhere."  
"It's not safe here, Scully."  
She pushed herself into a standing position and paced to the  
other side of the room.  
"Mulder, I can take care of myself."  
"I didn't say you couldn't!"  
"Then why," she paused, noticing she was yelling, and lowered  
her voice, "why do you want me to go somewhere else?"  
"Because I love you," he replied softly, "and I don't want  
anything to happen to you."  
She walked over to him and leaned over, kissing him deeply.  
"Nothing is going to happen to me," she assured him, and  
kissed him again.  
He pulled her down onto the couch with him and rolled over so  
that he was on top of her.  
"This," he told her, "this is the only good thing about   
arguing with you?"  
"What's that?"  
"We always have fabulous make-up sex."  
She laughed quietly, and they made sure that this time was  
no exception to any other argument. 


	2. Chapter 2

(((Author's interlude: during the time period passing between now and  
the next setting, Fowley and the other victim are warned that they are  
in danger, and are placed in a *safe house.* However, they're both   
rather stupid.)))  
  
Government Safe House  
Baltimore, MD  
September 30, 1999  
4:54 AM  
  
Diana Fowley opened the door of the safe house where she was  
staying with Annie Eddows and was met with the most gruesome sight   
she had ever seen. On the floor of the living room was a corpse. She  
could just barely make out the identity of the body-there was blood  
everywhere. She clamped a hand over her own mouth and ran out the  
front door-right into a police officer.  
"Officer," she gasped, "thank God you're here... somebody's   
been killed!"  
"Ok, calm down, miss.. it's going to be ok. I'll take you   
downtown where you can make a statement.. I'll call for back-up first."  
He showed her into the backseat of the car, and radioed the  
nearest police station for back-up and paramedics. He set the radio  
down and carefully-so that Fowley wouldn't see-turned it completely  
off. He started the car and drove away from the house.  
  
About half an hour later, when they still hadn't reached the  
police station, Fowley began to get suspicious.  
"Excuse me, I think we're going the wrong way."  
"No, we're fine."  
"Are you sure? We should have been downtown by now."  
"We're not going downtown."  
"What?"  
He pulled the police cruiser into an alleyway and ripped the  
radio out of it's circut. He pulled out a gun and quickly shot Fowley  
in the head, then set about to finish the job.  
  
  
Safe House  
5 AM  
  
The many squad cars pulled up infront of the safe house,   
closely follwed by Mulder's own car. They all got out and rushed  
into the almost empty house.  
"Hello?" Mulder called, "Diana?"  
There was no answer, just dead silence. Then he saw the body.  
"Oh my god.." he whispered, "OVER HERE!"  
The paramedics and coroner rushed over into the living room,  
and over to the body. Once the paramedics realized there was no  
reason for them to be there, they left the scene.  
"It's Annie Eddows," the coroner informed the police and  
agents, "she died about twenty minutes ago, at the least."  
The body was covered up and carted out.  
"Mulder? Where's-"  
"Fowley," he finished for his partner, "I don't know. I can  
only hope she's ok."  
Scully gave him a look.  
"She helped me find the X-files, Scully, I owe it to her to  
find her."  
She nodded. He rested a hand on her arm.  
"You ok?"  
"Yeah, it's just.. I can't see how anybody could do something  
this horrible to another human being."  
He held her hand briefly, "I know.."  
  
5:45  
  
"No fingerprints this time either," the police officer informed  
SAC Miles, "he's either using gloves or being too careful."  
"There has to be something we've missed, one thing we've  
overlooked that will lead us to the killer."  
They had, in fact, missed something this time-a message  
that was written in blood had been found at every crime scene except  
this one. Or so they thought.  
Mulder stood in the door to the living room, staring at the  
formerly white couch. Then, he saw it. He quickly walked over to the  
couch and read the note:  
"You can't save them"  
He really didn't understand the notes. None of them could  
be tied together with a similar theme. The only thing they had in  
common was that they were all written in blood at the scene of the   
crime.  
"Agent Mulder!"  
He looked up, "Miles?"  
"They found Diana Fowley."  
"She's dead." Mulder said simply.  
"Yes... how did you know that?"  
"In 1888, Jack the Ripper killed twice on September thirtieth.  
The bodies were found within forty-five minutes of eachother."  
"Oh."  
"I should come with you."  
"No," Scully stepped in, "go home, Mulder. Let me handle this   
one."  
"Scully, I can't leave you by yourself. You're probably the  
next one on his list!"  
"And I'll be surrounded by police officers. I'll be safe."  
He gave Miles a look saying 'help me out here.'  
"It's ok, Agent Mulder, I won't let anything happen to her."  
Mulder sighed, "Thanks a lot, man... ok, I'll go, but I want  
you to call me the minute anything happens."  
"I will," Scully promised.  
He gave her hand a little squeeze before leaving the house and  
going home.  
  
  
Alleyway  
Baltimore  
6 AM  
  
Miles and Scully reached the crime scene shortly after the  
police. They were met by Lieutenant Michael Talbot.  
"I'm the one who found her," he informed them, "she was still  
alive then, but she died shortly after the call."  
He had blood all over his uniform.  
"I tried to stop the bleeding," he explained, tears starting,   
"I tried to save her..."  
"It's ok," Miles assured him, "now, Talbot, you go on home...  
we can take your statement some other time. You've had enough for one  
day."  
Scully gave him a sympathetic smile as he walked to his police  
cruiser. She walked over to the body and lifted up the sheet.  
"It's her," she said, "but how did she get here?"  
"I don't know," Miles replied, "she was told not to leave the  
house... maybe they killed her there and moved the body."  
She nodded, "Maybe.... what about Talbot?"  
"Who? Mike?" He paused, "You don't think he might have..."  
"What do you think?"  
"No, he's a good kid.. hasn't been the same since his wife  
died, but he couldn't do anything like this... you saw him a minute  
ago. He was practically hysterical."  
"Yes.. indeed."  
The crime scene was cleared up, closed off to the public, and  
then Scully went home. She opened the door cautiously.  
"Mulder? You here?"  
"In the kitchen," he called back.  
She smiled slightly, "You're cooking?"  
"Yep," he came out of the kitchen, wearing the apron Scully had  
gotten from her brother reading: 'Kiss the cook'.  
She walked over to him, shedding her coat and tossing it on  
the couch, "It was her."  
"Diana?"  
"Yeah... I'm sorry, Mulder. I know you did care about her."  
He plopped down on the couch, "I have to find him before   
November ninth."  
"Is that when you think he'll attack again?"  
"Yes. I know he will... he's torturing me, drawing the murders  
out as long as possible while still following the pattern."  
"Who will his next victim be?"  
He looked up at her with watery eyes, "You."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Positive.. I haven't been in a serious relationship between  
you and Diana... and I'm even more serious about you."  
She sighed. "Why is he doing this?"  
"I honestly don't know... maybe he feels that I took away   
somebody he loved, so he's returning the favor."  
  
Out in the squad car, 'Jack' laughed to himself. Agent Mulder  
didn't know how right he was about that. It had been 1979 when the  
man took away his mother and sister. And he hadn't even been taken  
downtown for questioning... 'Jack' remembered the day well. He and  
his sister had been sitting in the backseat of their mother's car-  
she hadn't let him drive that day. She'd been taking them to Boston   
for the weekend. They'd passed under the streetlights, and been   
rammed into on his sister's side by a Vega. Everything had gone   
black, but he remembered waking up, alone in the ICU of a hospital.   
He'd been informed that his mother and sister were dead. He'd inquired   
as to the status of the other driver.  
'He's alive,' the nurse had said, 'and lucky to be so.. I don't  
like telling people this kind of thing, but your mother ran a red  
light. The two of you are lucky to have survived. I mean, both cars  
were going at least sixty miles per hour.'  
On that exact day, 'Jack' had silently sworn revenge on the  
man who had taken the women in his life. It was too bad he had to   
wait until November for the next one... the last one. He smiled,   
thinking of how he could get creative this time, how he could leave  
his very own M.O. He would have fun this time.   
  
  
Mulder's Aparment  
November 7  
8:43 PM  
  
"Left foot green," Mulder announced when the spinner stopped.  
Both of them trying to do this did not work. They collapsed  
in a heap on the floor.  
"I hate this game," Scully remarked.  
"Really?" Mulder looked down at her, "I love it."  
"Mmm... do you?"  
"Yes I do."  
He smiled and leaned in, giving her a kiss. And the phone  
rang. Her cell phone, to be exact. She let out an irritated breath and  
picked it up.  
"Scully."  
"Agent Scully?"  
"Yes."  
"This is Lieutenant Talbot with the Maryland state police..   
there's been an incident.. we think your mother may have been  
injured."  
"What? Where?"  
"Someone planted a bomb in your mother's neighborhood. Several  
houses were damaged. There are six people wounded and.." he trailed  
off.  
"And what?"  
"Seven people dead."  
She felt her face go white. "I'll be there as soon as  
possible."  
She set the phone down and quickly put her shoes on and  
grabbed her keys and coat.  
"Scully, what happened?"  
"I can't talk.. I have to go."  
"It might not be safe."  
"Mulder, my mother might be dead. I have to go."  
"Call me as soon as you get there."  
She nodded and ran out the door and down to her car. She  
climbed in to the driver's seat and drove towards her mother's   
neighborhood in Glen Burnie, Maryland.  
  
But she never got there. There was no bomb either. When she  
was on one of the backroads, a police cruiser appeared out of nowhere  
and signaled for her to pull over. She saw a man in uniform step  
out of the car and come up to her window. She didn't recognize that  
it was Lieutenant Talbot.  
"Ma'm, you were speeding."  
"I know.. I'm in a hurry."  
"What's the rush?"  
"I was told there was an explosion near my mother's house, and  
that she may be dead."  
"Where does she live?"  
"Glen Burnie."  
"I was just there, and I can assure you that there is, was,  
and will be no explosion."  
She let out a huge breath that she didn't know she'd been   
holding. "Are you sure?"  
"Positive, miss. Now, while I understand your reasons   
completely, I still need to write this off as a traffic violation. May  
I see your liscence and registration please?"  
Scully nodded and reached towards the glove compartment,   
taking her eyes off the policeman. She felt a gloved hand clamp  
over her mouth and smelled the chloroform on the rag that the  
hand held. The last thought she had before loosing conciousness  
was 'Oh shit.' 


	3. Chapter 3

At around ten o'clock, when Scully hadn't called, Mulder  
started getting nervous, and he set out to Glen Burnie. On the way,  
he noticed an abandoned car along the side of the road.. then, he  
noticed that it was Scully's car.  
"Shit!" He exclaimed. He did a full 180 on the road and drove  
back to his apartment, whipping out his cellphone and dialing her  
number.  
"Hello Agent Mulder. How nice of you to call."  
"Who are you?"  
"Just a little someone you can call Jack," the snide voice  
replied, "I have someone that belongs to you."  
"What do you want?"  
"Revenge."  
"What for? What has she done?"  
"She hasn't done anything. That's the fun part of it."  
"What did I do?"  
"You killed them."  
"Who?"  
"You should know, you piece of shit."  
A sudden realization dawned on Mulder, "You.. you were in the  
other car!"  
'Jack' laughed. "And we have a winner, but we're sorry.. the   
prize is soon going to be, well.. dead."  
"You don't want to kill her."  
"Yes I do."  
"No, you want me, not her."  
"Don't try to talk me out of this with you Oxford bullshit.."  
he paused, "yes.. I know everything about you."  
Mulder thought quickly. "Not everything."  
"What?"  
"You skipped someone."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I had a fiance before I met Scully."  
"Don't lie to me, or she dies early."  
'Damn,' Mulder thought. "Why are you doing this? You know  
the accident wasn't my fault."  
"Then whose fault was it?"  
"Your mother ran the red light."  
He heard a gunshot on the other end of the phone and the line  
went dead.  
  
  
Unknown Location (((dontcha hate it when I do that?)))  
10:30 PM  
  
Scully cringed as a bullet hit the wall mere inches from her  
head. She yanked at the cuffs, but it was no use. They'd been embedded  
into the wall of this... this torture chamber. She took a calming  
breath.  
"What do you want?"  
'Jack' laughed, "I want you dead."  
"Why?"  
"Because he loves you."  
"How is that a crime?"  
"He took away the women I loved, so I'm returning the favor..  
it's too bad I have to keep you alive for two days first."  
Scully thought for a minute, mainly, 'How am I going to get out  
of this one?'. Then, an idea formed in her head.  
"I need to use the bathroom," she said softly.  
"Your point?"  
"Will you let me get up so I can?"  
He looked over at her and shrugged. "You can't get out of here,  
I see no reason not to."  
He unlocked the cuffs and roughly grabbed her arm, dragging  
her down the hallway a bit. They came to a room.  
"Here we are," he told her, "but if you try anything, I'll make  
your death slow and painful."  
She nodded to show that she understood and went into the small  
half-bath. She quietly locked the door behind her and rustled around  
a bit before turning on the sink to a low trickle. She looked quickly  
and silently through the cabinets and closet for anything that might   
help her.  
Then she saw it. Leaning against the wall was the rod from  
a yet-to-be-installed towel rack. A thick metal rod. She carefully   
picked it up, thinking 'Jackpot' and turned the water off. Just to   
be safe, she flushed the toilet and went over to the door after   
running the sink for a few minutes to give the impression that   
she was washing her hands. She picked up the iron bar and slowly   
opened the door. She saw him facing the other way, obviously  
oblivious to the fact that she was done. She swung the bar and   
quickly connected with his skull. He gave a surprised yelp and  
crumpled to the floor.   
She dragged him into the dubbed 'tortue chamber' and snapped  
his hands into the cuffs that hung from the wall. She picked up the gun  
that he had dropped in the hallway and found her holster. She  
quickly fastened it around her waist, tucking her weapon safely  
into place at the small of her back. She looked around for her  
cellphone and found it-also in the hallway where he had fallen.  
The batteries, however, were missing.  
"Damn it!" She muttered under her breath, standing up again.  
She spent the better part of the next hour searching for a  
way out of the house. All of the doors were padlocked from the  
inside, and the key was nowhere to be found-not even 'Jack' had it  
on his person. She leaned heavily against a wall and let out  
an exasperated sigh.  
"You won't get out."  
She whirled around. 'Jack' was awake. She steadily raised her  
gun, aiming it at his head point blank.   
"You will tell me how to get out of this hell hole," she  
calmly told him.  
"No, I won't."  
"Where are the keys?"  
"I won't tell you."  
"Where are the batteries to my phone."  
"I'm not telling you anything."  
"Excuse me.. I have a reason to kill you and a gun.. what did  
you say?"  
"I said I'm not telling you anything."  
She cocked the trigger and removed the safety from her Smith  
and Wesson, still keeping the barrel of the handgun lightly touching  
'Jack's' left temple. She applied a little pressure.  
"One more time. How do I get out of here?"  
He said nothing.  
"I will shoot you."  
"No you won't. You need the information I have."  
She glared at him, but knew he spoke the truth. She switched  
the safety of her gun back on and re-holstered it.  
"Where are the keys?"  
"I'll tell you if you let me out of these."  
"No deal. How 'bout you tell me and I arrest your sorry ass?"  
'Jack' laughed and yanked on the chains. They pulled swiftly  
out of the wall. He knocked the gun out of Scully's hand and tackled  
her to the floor. He straddled her hips and pinned her arms above  
her head with his left arm.  
"Like I said... I'm not telling you anything."  
He punched her in the face with his free hand and smiled as  
she slipped into unconciousness again. He stood up and dragged her   
over through the house to th bedroom. He threw her onto the mattress  
and cuffed her hands to the bedpost. He sat down in a nearby chair  
and watched. And waited.  
  
  
November 8  
6:43 PM  
  
Scully yanked at the handcuffs again, hoping that after  
so much tugging, the chain might snap. She sighed in frusteration  
when it didn't. She heard the front door to the house open.  
"Honey, I'm home," a voice called from downstairs.  
She heard him walk up the steps and turn a key in the   
lock of the bedroom. The door opened and he stepped in. And   
for the first time, she got a clear look at her assailant.  
It was Michael Talbot.  
"Why are you doing this?" She asked him.  
"I've told you why."  
"Yes, but why butcher the bodies? Why not just shoot  
them all?"  
"Because," he began, leaning over her, "This is more   
fun."  
"Why did you copy Jack the Ripper's MO?" She asked next.  
"You're trying to get more time," he guessed, "it  
won't work.. but I'll humour you. In 1888, someone butchered  
five whores. He wasn't caught. And I won't be either."  
"What makes you think that?"  
"No more questions," he told her, "it's time to play."  
He was on the bed in seconds, pinning her beneath him.  
He ran his hands down her sides to her waist, where he quickly  
undid the button and zipper on her jeans.  
"Get off me!" She screamed.  
"Now, now.. I don't really think you're in a position  
to make demands," Talbot stated, pulling her jeans off as he  
spoke.  
He moved his hands again, deftly, to the buttons of   
her shirt.  
  
  
FBI Headquarters  
Same Time  
  
Mulder paced around his office, thinking so hard he  
was getting a headache. What had been the name of the survivor  
in the other car so long ago? He whipped out his cellular phone  
and quickly dialed the number of the Boston police.  
"Yes, I need information on an accident that happened in  
November 1979, on the costal highway in Boston."  
He paused, listening to whoever was on the other end.  
"This is Special Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI."  
Another pause.  
"Yes, I know I was in one of the cars.. who was the   
other survivor?"  
He heard a rustling of papers and then an answer.  
"Michael Talbot? Thank you.."  
  
Mulder quickly called the Baltimore police and told them  
what he had found out. Despite the fact that they didn't believe  
their lieutenant was responsible for the grisly deaths, they  
followed him to Talbot's apartment in the middle of the city.  
Mulder burst through the front door.  
"Scully!" He called.  
There was no reply. He and the S.W.A.T. team thourougly   
searched the apartment, but to no avail. Every room was empty.  
  
  
The Next Day...  
  
Mulder looked through the information he had found on   
Michael Talbot. It gave one address-the apartment they had  
already searched. He sighed hopefully as he looked through a  
copy of the mother's will. Something caught his eye. Talbot  
had gotten a house when his mother died-something both he and  
the police had overlooked.  
  
  
651 Flores Dr  
Baltimore, MD  
10:57 AM  
  
Mulder's car screeched to a halt in front of the house. He   
jumped out of the front seat and ran to the front door of the house.  
Locked. As were the back and side doors. He had no other choice  
than to break down the door. Which he did. He looked around. He saw  
evidence of residence-a half eaten breakfast, a still going   
pot of coffee, and a currently on tv. He then heard screaming.  
Coming from above him. He ran up the stairs and to the first door he  
came to. He flung it open-it was luckily unlocked-and saw Talbot  
leaning over Scully with a gleaming kitchen knife.  
"Mulder!" Scully exclaimed.  
Talbot spun around and fixed Mulder with a glare.  
"Take one step and she dies," he informed the newly-arrived  
agent.  
Mulder pointed his gun at the killer. "If you so much as  
touch one hair on her head, I will shoot you. Now let her go."  
"No."  
With that, Michael Talbot did the last thing he would ever  
do. He plunged his knife into Scully's stomach twice before the   
bullet reached him. It embedded itself in his brain, sending him  
flying backwards into a wall. He slumped to the floor.  
"Scully!" Mulder shouted, running over to her.  
He stroked her forehead gently, "It'll be ok. Just hold on  
there."  
He whipped out his cell phone and quickly called for an  
ambulance. After hanging up, he searched Talbot for keys, finding  
them in the left shirt pocket. He quickly undid the handcuffs and  
noticed that Scully's wrists were red and badly chapped, even   
slightly crusted with dried blood. He bit his lip to keep from  
crying.  
"Mulder..."  
"Scully? Are you ok?"  
"Besides.. besides the obvious..." her voice faded out   
and her eyes closed.  
"Scully!"  
"Sir, let us take over."  
He didn't move.  
"Sir!"  
Mulder turned around slowly and moved away so that the   
paramedics could get to his partner. He hadn't even noticed them  
enter the room.  
  
A Week Later...  
  
  
"But you should be careful not to move around too much,"  
a doctor advised Scully, "you don't want to open your stitches."  
"You should also eat a lot of nutritious foods.. you  
were extremely malnurioused when you came in. Some fluids  
would also be good for you," the nurse told her, "but most  
of all, thank your lucky stars you're alive.. it's a good  
thing Agent Mulder called the ambulance so quickly."  
Mulder and Scully nodded, and headed out to his car. He helped  
her into the passenger seat and went around to the driver's seat. He  
drove to her apartment to drop her off.  
"No.. don't go, Mulder?"  
He turned around on his way out the door. "What?"  
"I don't want to be alone."  
Mulder shut the door, locked it, and headed  
over to where his partner sat on the couch.  
"You sure you want me here?"  
"Mulder, someone.." she struggled with the word, "raped me..   
and tried to kill me... I'd feel safer if you stayed."  
He nodded, and a silence fell upon the pair.  
"I'm sorry."  
"What for?"  
"I'm sorry I let you go by yourself.. that I wasn't there to  
help you."  
"Oh, Mulder," she spoke softly, "it wasn't your fault."  
"I still feel responsible."  
"You shouldn't."  
"I know, but I still do."  
She nodded, "I know you do.. you always do."  
He sat down beside her and carefully rested a hand on her   
shoulder, making sure she was comfortable with the body contact, gently  
took her other hand in his, and looked up at her.  
"It's because if you'd never known me, none of this would  
happen. You wouldn't be in danger every waking hour of every  
day. It's my fault your life is a living hell."  
"It's not a living hell, Mulder."  
"How can you say that? You've been attacked.. countless times-  
more times than I care to remember.. I've almost lost you so many  
times."  
She looked up into his eyes. "You can't blame yourself.. I'm  
here, I'm in the x-files, I'm working with you-all because I want  
to. It's my choice. You're my choice.. and if I have anything to  
say about it, you'll never lose me."  
He sighed. "I wish it were that easy.. but it's  
not.. I think it would be better if you never saw me again."  
"No.. Mulder, no. I'm not leaving. You said it yourself-  
if I quit now, they win."  
"They've already won."  
"No they haven't. Mulder, stop beating yourself up."  
"I want you to ask for a transfer.. you have to get as  
far away from me as possible. I'm only putting you in danger."  
"Mulder, I will not leave the x-files. I won't leave   
you!"   
"Then maybe I should."  
"Are you trying to keep me out of danger?"  
"Yes!"  
"Then how would that help? They would still be after  
me.. I would still be in a 'living hell,' as you so aptly  
put it."  
He looked straight into her eyes.  
"I don't know what to do," he confessed, "I don't want  
us to be fighting like this.. but I don't want your life  
in danger every second of every minute of every hour in  
every day of every week in every month for years."  
She didn't answer him.  
"Scully.. Dana.. I love you more than I've ever  
loved anybody. I don't want you to get hurt."  
She took a minte before responding. "Mulder, I love  
you too much for words even... I don't want you   
worrying about me every minute of every hour.. ectetera..  
and, Mul.. Fox, I doubt you even have reason to worry.  
Modell is dead. Duanne Barry and Dupre are dead. Talbot  
is in police custody and will most likely die for what  
he did."  
Mulder was silent for a while. "It's the one thing  
we didn't bother to look into... and all the time, the  
psycho was an agent of the law, a 'good guy' who never  
would have been suspected."  
"Mulder... the only threat to me.. to either of us,  
in fact, is the group of men that the cigarette smoking  
man works with. And we know what to look out for. We  
know who to trust."  
"You're right," he admitted quietly.  
"Excuse me?"  
"You're right..."  
Scully bit her lip a bit, trying to decide what  
to say. "Mulder?"  
He shook his head. "I never thought that way...   
about who couldn't hurt you.. I just thought about  
who could, and who had, and the number of times  
someone's tried to kill you."  
She gripped his hand. "It's ok, Mulder. I'm  
here with you.. and I'm not going anywhere."  
  
  
  
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!  
THE END (1/1)  
@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@  
  
Well, whatd'ya think? I finally finished this here  
piece of crap. I WANT FEEDBACK! Send it all to  
mrsspooky_dks@yahoo.com  
  
I really want to know if this is as bad as I think  
it is. So PLEASE send me something. I totally live   
to please other people:) NOT! BUT I do like making  
people happy. 


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